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Summer Hill #2
Met Her Match
Escape to Summer Hill, Virginia, where no one lets the facts get in the way of juicy gossip…
Terri Rayburn is a girl with a reputation. She doesn’t deserve it but, having grown up on the outskirts of Summer Hill, she knows how small towns work. The only way to deal with vicious gossip is to ignore it. So she keeps to herself as she runs the summer resort on Lake Kissel.
When she returns home from a short trip to find a handsome stranger living in her house, she smells a rat. Someone is trying to fix her up, and she has to admit that Nate Taggert is just her type. However, Nate is engaged to the daughter of the mayor and strictly off-limits.
Nate and Terri form an unlikely friendship while he throws himself into life at the lake. When he hears rumors about Terri, he’s confused. Knowing how smart, beautiful and strong she is, he’s determined to discover the source of the gossip. Terri doesn’t want to revisit the past, but Nate won’t stop until he discovers the truth—even if the truth might be more than either of them can handle.
Don't miss New York Times bestselling author Jude Deveraux's next exciting new release, MY HEART WILL FIND YOU!
Terri Rayburn is a girl with a reputation. She doesn’t deserve it but, having grown up on the outskirts of Summer Hill, she knows how small towns work. The only way to deal with vicious gossip is to ignore it. So she keeps to herself as she runs the summer resort on Lake Kissel.
When she returns home from a short trip to find a handsome stranger living in her house, she smells a rat. Someone is trying to fix her up, and she has to admit that Nate Taggert is just her type. However, Nate is engaged to the daughter of the mayor and strictly off-limits.
Nate and Terri form an unlikely friendship while he throws himself into life at the lake. When he hears rumors about Terri, he’s confused. Knowing how smart, beautiful and strong she is, he’s determined to discover the source of the gossip. Terri doesn’t want to revisit the past, but Nate won’t stop until he discovers the truth—even if the truth might be more than either of them can handle.
Don't miss New York Times bestselling author Jude Deveraux's next exciting new release, MY HEART WILL FIND YOU!
329 pages, Hardcover
First published September 17, 2019
1006 people are currently reading
6219 people want to read
About the author
Jude Deveraux
194 books7,090 followersJude Gilliam was born September 20, 1947 in Fairdale, Kentucky. She has a large extended family and is the elder sister of four brothers. She attended Murray State University and received a degree in Art. In 1967, Jude married and took her husband's surname of White, but four years later they divorced. For years, she worked as 5th-grade teacher.
She began writing in 1976, and published her first book, The Enchanted Land (1977) under the name Jude Deveraux. Following the publication of her first novel, she resigned her teaching position. Now, she is the author of 31 New York Times bestsellers.
Jude won readers' hearts with the epic Velvet series, which revolves around the lives of the Montgomery family's irresistible men. Jude's early books are set largely in 15th- and 16th-century England; in them her fierce, impassioned protagonists find themselves in the midst of blood feuds and wars. Her heroines are equally scrappy -- medieval Scarlett O'Haras who often have a low regard for the men who eventually win them over. They're fighters, certainly, but they're also beauties who are preoccupied with survival and family preservation.
Jude has also stepped outside her milieu, with mixed results. Her James River trilogy (River Lady, Lost Lady, and Counterfeit Lady) is set mostly in post-Revolution America; the popular, softer-edged Twin of Fire/Twin of Ice moves to 19th-century Colorado and introduces another hunky-man clan, the Taggerts.
Deveraux manages to evoke a strong and convincing atmosphere for each of her books, but her dialogue and characters are as familiar as a modern-day soap opera's. "Historicals seem to be all I'm capable of," Jude once said in an interview, referring to a now out-of-print attempt at contemporary fiction, 1982's Casa Grande. "I don't want to write family sagas or occult books, and I have no intention of again trying to ruin the contemporary market." Still, Jude did later attempt modern-day romances, such as the lighthearted High Tide (her first murder caper), the contemporary female friendship story The Summerhouse, and the time-traveling Knight in Shining Armor. In fact, with 2002's The Mulberry Tree, Deveraux seems to be getting more comfortable setting stories in the present, which is a good thing, since the fans she won with her historical books are eager to follow her into the future.
Jude married Claude White, who she later divorced in 1993. Around the same time she met Mohammed Montassir with whom she had a son, Sam Alexander Montassir, in 1997. On Oct. 6th, 2005, Sam died at the age of eight in a motorcycle accident.
Jude has lived in several countries and all over the United States. She currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina and has an additional home in the medieval city of Badolato, Italy.
She began writing in 1976, and published her first book, The Enchanted Land (1977) under the name Jude Deveraux. Following the publication of her first novel, she resigned her teaching position. Now, she is the author of 31 New York Times bestsellers.
Jude won readers' hearts with the epic Velvet series, which revolves around the lives of the Montgomery family's irresistible men. Jude's early books are set largely in 15th- and 16th-century England; in them her fierce, impassioned protagonists find themselves in the midst of blood feuds and wars. Her heroines are equally scrappy -- medieval Scarlett O'Haras who often have a low regard for the men who eventually win them over. They're fighters, certainly, but they're also beauties who are preoccupied with survival and family preservation.
Jude has also stepped outside her milieu, with mixed results. Her James River trilogy (River Lady, Lost Lady, and Counterfeit Lady) is set mostly in post-Revolution America; the popular, softer-edged Twin of Fire/Twin of Ice moves to 19th-century Colorado and introduces another hunky-man clan, the Taggerts.
Deveraux manages to evoke a strong and convincing atmosphere for each of her books, but her dialogue and characters are as familiar as a modern-day soap opera's. "Historicals seem to be all I'm capable of," Jude once said in an interview, referring to a now out-of-print attempt at contemporary fiction, 1982's Casa Grande. "I don't want to write family sagas or occult books, and I have no intention of again trying to ruin the contemporary market." Still, Jude did later attempt modern-day romances, such as the lighthearted High Tide (her first murder caper), the contemporary female friendship story The Summerhouse, and the time-traveling Knight in Shining Armor. In fact, with 2002's The Mulberry Tree, Deveraux seems to be getting more comfortable setting stories in the present, which is a good thing, since the fans she won with her historical books are eager to follow her into the future.
Jude married Claude White, who she later divorced in 1993. Around the same time she met Mohammed Montassir with whom she had a son, Sam Alexander Montassir, in 1997. On Oct. 6th, 2005, Sam died at the age of eight in a motorcycle accident.
Jude has lived in several countries and all over the United States. She currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina and has an additional home in the medieval city of Badolato, Italy.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 554 reviews
September 20, 2019
EXCERPT: ...his phone made a ding for a text message. It was from Kit. Ask Della about Leslie.
Nate dropped the phone onto the bed as if it had caught fire. "No!" he said aloud, his frown so deep that his eyebrows were nearly touching.
"No, no, no." He'd had all the mysteries he wanted in his lifetime. Twelve years of them! Digging and researching and finding out who was doing what and why. That was Kit's love, not his.
All Nate wanted was peace. He wanted to marry the girl he was madly in love with, set up retirement plans for people and make some babies. Peace. No more midnight runs. No more danger.
As he climbed into bed, he punched the pillow. He's thought Kit had put him in a house with a pretty young woman because of...What? Some temptation before Nate got married?
But it looked like it had to do with some damned mystery.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: In small towns, no one lets the facts get in the way of juicy gossip…
Terri Rayburn is a girl with a reputation. She doesn’t deserve it, but having grown up on the outskirts of Summer Hill, Virginia, she knows how small towns work. The only way to deal with vicious gossip is to ignore it. So she keeps to herself as she runs the summer resort on Lake Kissel.
When she returns home from a short trip to find a handsome stranger living in her house, she smells a rat. Someone is trying to fix her up, and she has to admit that Nate Taggert is just her type. However, Nate is engaged to the daughter of the mayor and strictly off-limits.
Nate and Terri form an unlikely friendship while he throws himself into life at the lake. As Nate starts to hear rumors about Terri he’s confused. Knowing how smart, beautiful and strong she is, he’s determined to discover the source of the gossip. Terri doesn’t want to revisit the past, but Nate won’t stop until he discovers the truth—even if the truth might be more than either of them can handle.
Set in the beloved fictional town of Summer Hill, Virginia, Met Her Match examines the tensions between the wealthy townspeople, the summer vacationers and the working-class people who keep the town and resort running.
MY THOUGHTS: I haven't read a Jude Deveraux in years. She was one of those authors I loved who, for some unknown reason, just dropped off my radar. I still have several of her older books on my shelves at home. But I am glad I have rediscovered her. I enjoyed Met Her Match immensely.
Deveraux's characters jump right off the page at you....they are so real! She captures the intricacies of everyday life and infuses them with humour and passion. She had me laughing out loud at times. And even though as we read, we all know how it is going to end up, she makes the journey absolutely delightful. And, there are a few little surprises along the way!
#MetHerMatch #NetGalley
**** delighted stars
THE AUTHOR: Jude Gilliam was born September 20, 1947 in Fairdale, Kentucky. She has a large extended family and is the elder sister of four brothers. She attended Murray State University and received a degree in Art. In 1967, Jude married and took her husband's surname of White, but four years later they divorced. For years, she worked as 5th-grade teacher.
She began writing in 1976, and published her first book, The Enchanted Land (1977) under the name Jude Deveraux. Following the publication of her first novel, she resigned her teaching position. Now, she is the author of 31 New York Times bestsellers.
Jude has lived in several countries and all over the United States. She currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina and has an additional home in the medieval city of Badolato, Italy.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harlequin MIRA (USA & Canada) for providing a digital ARC of Met Her Match by Jude Deveraux for review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system, please refer to my Goodreads.com profile, or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
Nate dropped the phone onto the bed as if it had caught fire. "No!" he said aloud, his frown so deep that his eyebrows were nearly touching.
"No, no, no." He'd had all the mysteries he wanted in his lifetime. Twelve years of them! Digging and researching and finding out who was doing what and why. That was Kit's love, not his.
All Nate wanted was peace. He wanted to marry the girl he was madly in love with, set up retirement plans for people and make some babies. Peace. No more midnight runs. No more danger.
As he climbed into bed, he punched the pillow. He's thought Kit had put him in a house with a pretty young woman because of...What? Some temptation before Nate got married?
But it looked like it had to do with some damned mystery.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: In small towns, no one lets the facts get in the way of juicy gossip…
Terri Rayburn is a girl with a reputation. She doesn’t deserve it, but having grown up on the outskirts of Summer Hill, Virginia, she knows how small towns work. The only way to deal with vicious gossip is to ignore it. So she keeps to herself as she runs the summer resort on Lake Kissel.
When she returns home from a short trip to find a handsome stranger living in her house, she smells a rat. Someone is trying to fix her up, and she has to admit that Nate Taggert is just her type. However, Nate is engaged to the daughter of the mayor and strictly off-limits.
Nate and Terri form an unlikely friendship while he throws himself into life at the lake. As Nate starts to hear rumors about Terri he’s confused. Knowing how smart, beautiful and strong she is, he’s determined to discover the source of the gossip. Terri doesn’t want to revisit the past, but Nate won’t stop until he discovers the truth—even if the truth might be more than either of them can handle.
Set in the beloved fictional town of Summer Hill, Virginia, Met Her Match examines the tensions between the wealthy townspeople, the summer vacationers and the working-class people who keep the town and resort running.
MY THOUGHTS: I haven't read a Jude Deveraux in years. She was one of those authors I loved who, for some unknown reason, just dropped off my radar. I still have several of her older books on my shelves at home. But I am glad I have rediscovered her. I enjoyed Met Her Match immensely.
Deveraux's characters jump right off the page at you....they are so real! She captures the intricacies of everyday life and infuses them with humour and passion. She had me laughing out loud at times. And even though as we read, we all know how it is going to end up, she makes the journey absolutely delightful. And, there are a few little surprises along the way!
#MetHerMatch #NetGalley
**** delighted stars
THE AUTHOR: Jude Gilliam was born September 20, 1947 in Fairdale, Kentucky. She has a large extended family and is the elder sister of four brothers. She attended Murray State University and received a degree in Art. In 1967, Jude married and took her husband's surname of White, but four years later they divorced. For years, she worked as 5th-grade teacher.
She began writing in 1976, and published her first book, The Enchanted Land (1977) under the name Jude Deveraux. Following the publication of her first novel, she resigned her teaching position. Now, she is the author of 31 New York Times bestsellers.
Jude has lived in several countries and all over the United States. She currently lives in Charlotte, North Carolina and has an additional home in the medieval city of Badolato, Italy.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Harlequin MIRA (USA & Canada) for providing a digital ARC of Met Her Match by Jude Deveraux for review. All opinions expressed in this review are my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system, please refer to my Goodreads.com profile, or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review and others are also published on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
September 17, 2019
Met Her Match by Jude Deveraux
A favorite storyteller. Immediate engagement. Always heart touching. Always sad when it’s over because it was so good. It’s like having a best friend in a book format.
This story was lovely, sweet and wonderful.
Of course, there is a bunch of worry while it’s all being worked out, but the HEA is worth the angst of the drama.
The toy story shopping wish was so touchingly sweet.
Loved the whole thing. Wanted to not like the fiancé or the twins but now hoping they get their own HEA.
I’m gushing. This author does that to me.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. I purchased a copy to share.
A favorite storyteller. Immediate engagement. Always heart touching. Always sad when it’s over because it was so good. It’s like having a best friend in a book format.
This story was lovely, sweet and wonderful.
Of course, there is a bunch of worry while it’s all being worked out, but the HEA is worth the angst of the drama.
The toy story shopping wish was so touchingly sweet.
Loved the whole thing. Wanted to not like the fiancé or the twins but now hoping they get their own HEA.
I’m gushing. This author does that to me.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. I purchased a copy to share.
September 23, 2019
This was the perfect summer romance to end my summer reading season. A fun and flirty small town friends to lover story with a bit of a mystery. This is the fourth book in the Summer Hill series, but it worked perfect as a standalone. Loved this small Virginia town and all its lovable and quirky residence. Terri comes home one day to find a hot man in her house. He’s not a burglar and she is pretty certain this is a set up, the thing is he is engaged to the perfect daughter of the towns mayor. What follows is a sweet friends to lovers story full of lively banter and lovely chemistry. Terri was a great character who was smart and strong always combating The small town rumors. Nate what is a good guy who was trying to live up to the expectations of his fiancée and her family. At first I was a little uncertain, wasn’t really crazy that he was already in a relationship and falling in love with somebody else, but it all seem to work itself out. The Mystery added another dimension to the story, and made the ending even happier!
This book and three emojis: 🚤 🏠 💞
This book and three emojis: 🚤 🏠 💞
April 5, 2024
Terri Rayburn runs a summer camp with her father on Lake Kissel. Terri is the one who usually jumps in and can be trusted to fix anything. What she can’t fix is the underserved reputation she has acquired from the people in the small town of Summer Hill, Virginia. When Terri comes home from a trip she finds a man in her house. She suspects someone is trying to set her up and Nate Taggerty is the type of man that appeals to Terri. Only trouble is Nate is engaged to the well liked and seemingly perfect Stacy, the mayor’s daughter.
As well as romance is a mystery, concerning Leslie, Terri’s mother. Most people in town believe Leslie ran off with another man and left her husband and two year old daughter. But is there more to the story?
I struggled a bit with maintaining interest at times in this one, not sure why. Maybe my problem rather than the book. I found the two main characters a bit unrealistic. And a shame that the mystery wasn’t developed earlier.
For all that, it was a pleasant enough read, just not all I hoped for.
As well as romance is a mystery, concerning Leslie, Terri’s mother. Most people in town believe Leslie ran off with another man and left her husband and two year old daughter. But is there more to the story?
I struggled a bit with maintaining interest at times in this one, not sure why. Maybe my problem rather than the book. I found the two main characters a bit unrealistic. And a shame that the mystery wasn’t developed earlier.
For all that, it was a pleasant enough read, just not all I hoped for.
September 2, 2019
Loved this one!
~~~~~~~~~~~~
There was something about this book that I just really loved. I really don’t know why. I can’t put my finger on it.
Was it the perfect story? No. In fact, the first few chapters seemed a little stilted. But I absolutely loved the unique characters she crafted.
Friendship is an amazing thing. And when you can develop a close friendship with someone of the opposite sex, it truly can be special. Deveraux shows us exactly what it looks like to have the perfect partner, in friendship and eventually in love.
The story was so heartwarming and touching in many ways. I loved Terri. She’s hard-working, tough, yet so tender with a heart of gold as well. And Nate was created to perfectly balance with her. Sweet, kind, with a servant heart.
So for those reasons I’m giving us a five star because Met Her Match truly is a delight to read and it made me feel wonderful at the end. Isn’t that what we look for in a book? A classic romance that will capture your heart.
Copy received for review consideration
full review - https://amidlifewife.com/met-her-matc...
~~~~~~~~~~~~
There was something about this book that I just really loved. I really don’t know why. I can’t put my finger on it.
Was it the perfect story? No. In fact, the first few chapters seemed a little stilted. But I absolutely loved the unique characters she crafted.
Friendship is an amazing thing. And when you can develop a close friendship with someone of the opposite sex, it truly can be special. Deveraux shows us exactly what it looks like to have the perfect partner, in friendship and eventually in love.
The story was so heartwarming and touching in many ways. I loved Terri. She’s hard-working, tough, yet so tender with a heart of gold as well. And Nate was created to perfectly balance with her. Sweet, kind, with a servant heart.
So for those reasons I’m giving us a five star because Met Her Match truly is a delight to read and it made me feel wonderful at the end. Isn’t that what we look for in a book? A classic romance that will capture your heart.
Copy received for review consideration
full review - https://amidlifewife.com/met-her-matc...
January 2, 2020
This claims to be second in a series, but I skipped the first (because it seemed like kind of a cheap knock-off of Pride & Prejudice) and didn't feel the lack at all.
I enjoyed this a lot, though I worried about some of the story developments as they happened. Terri is flat-out awesome and I loved her competence and compassion and that she kept going even when much of her local world was actively against her. She was realistic about her (in)ability to change things and did her best to flow as well as possible while sticking up for herself (but without actively antagonizing detractors). It was a tough line to walk but she did it as best she could and I loved that about her.
Nate was a little harder to get into, mainly because he starts off engaged to another woman. There's no hint of cheating (he's just not that kind of guy. Thankfully), but being engaged to another woman doesn't say good things about him as we learn how well he is matched with Terri. His relationship with Stacy is rather shallow, really, so I kind of hated that bit more than a little. Further, Nate's character is hampered by the disconnect between his background of supposedly being a versatile fixer/diplomat for his uncle in diverse and tense situations but being unable to navigate Stacy's family or make any kind of inroad on Terri's difficulty in the town on his own. I got to the point where I was rolling my eyes every time it mentioned him being so competent with his uncle in foreign climes. Yeah, he gets along with some of the locals, but a whole subset was opaque to him, probably because letting him make progress too soon would have short-circuited much of the plot.
So my biggest problems with the story (the fiancée and the hate-Terri faction) felt like they were the author messing around to extend things out. And she really kind of needed that because the best thing the author did was create two characters who fit so very well together. I really, really loved Terri and Nate together. They are such a great fit with their differences being appreciated while their similarities brought them together.
Normally when that kind of disconnect happens, I get really impatient with the story and find it hard to continue. That wasn't the case here, maybe because Deveraux's meddling wasn't extreme and she took some extra care with the characterizations in the opposing factions. Stacy is the best example of this as we get to know her towards the middle of the book and find that she's a really lovely person but just isn't right for Nate. And the town haters were given some of that same depth, and with enough complexity that some of them turned out to be just as bad as you expected, but not nearly as many as you'd think given Terri's difficulties so far.
All of which builds to a solid four star romance that I was really happy to have fall in my way.
Some minor things I want to mention: They didn't affect my enjoyment of the story, but I want to pull out two things that others may be put off by. First is that there's some random PoV hopping that includes side characters and exposition dumps. It's clear that Deveraux loves some of the setting around Nate and Terri and wanted to get some of those details to the reader despite them having little or no impact on the main plotline. They're somewhat interesting but complete pace-killers. Second, the issue of Terri's mother was a bit shallow and that whole plot felt underbaked, to me. This got worse, rather than better, as the truth of the past started to come out.
A note about Steamy: There are a couple explicit sex scenes but they aren't very long or detailed. So this is still (barely) on the low side of my steam tolerance. It's pretty romancey when it finally happens, though, so I'll admit skimming some even though it wasn't that long to begin with.
I enjoyed this a lot, though I worried about some of the story developments as they happened. Terri is flat-out awesome and I loved her competence and compassion and that she kept going even when much of her local world was actively against her. She was realistic about her (in)ability to change things and did her best to flow as well as possible while sticking up for herself (but without actively antagonizing detractors). It was a tough line to walk but she did it as best she could and I loved that about her.
Nate was a little harder to get into, mainly because he starts off engaged to another woman. There's no hint of cheating (he's just not that kind of guy. Thankfully), but being engaged to another woman doesn't say good things about him as we learn how well he is matched with Terri. His relationship with Stacy is rather shallow, really, so I kind of hated that bit more than a little. Further, Nate's character is hampered by the disconnect between his background of supposedly being a versatile fixer/diplomat for his uncle in diverse and tense situations but being unable to navigate Stacy's family or make any kind of inroad on Terri's difficulty in the town on his own. I got to the point where I was rolling my eyes every time it mentioned him being so competent with his uncle in foreign climes. Yeah, he gets along with some of the locals, but a whole subset was opaque to him, probably because letting him make progress too soon would have short-circuited much of the plot.
So my biggest problems with the story (the fiancée and the hate-Terri faction) felt like they were the author messing around to extend things out. And she really kind of needed that because the best thing the author did was create two characters who fit so very well together. I really, really loved Terri and Nate together. They are such a great fit with their differences being appreciated while their similarities brought them together.
Normally when that kind of disconnect happens, I get really impatient with the story and find it hard to continue. That wasn't the case here, maybe because Deveraux's meddling wasn't extreme and she took some extra care with the characterizations in the opposing factions. Stacy is the best example of this as we get to know her towards the middle of the book and find that she's a really lovely person but just isn't right for Nate. And the town haters were given some of that same depth, and with enough complexity that some of them turned out to be just as bad as you expected, but not nearly as many as you'd think given Terri's difficulties so far.
All of which builds to a solid four star romance that I was really happy to have fall in my way.
Some minor things I want to mention: They didn't affect my enjoyment of the story, but I want to pull out two things that others may be put off by. First is that there's some random PoV hopping that includes side characters and exposition dumps. It's clear that Deveraux loves some of the setting around Nate and Terri and wanted to get some of those details to the reader despite them having little or no impact on the main plotline. They're somewhat interesting but complete pace-killers. Second, the issue of Terri's mother was a bit shallow and that whole plot felt underbaked, to me. This got worse, rather than better, as the truth of the past started to come out.
A note about Steamy: There are a couple explicit sex scenes but they aren't very long or detailed. So this is still (barely) on the low side of my steam tolerance. It's pretty romancey when it finally happens, though, so I'll admit skimming some even though it wasn't that long to begin with.
February 15, 2020
.
I'm going to make this brief because I did skim a fair bit.
I guess my problem with it was that when all was said and done, I didn't feel the romance much.
I also didn't know, going into this, that the story was as much about the past as it was about the present.
There's a dark mystery that isn't really addressed til the second half and unfurls as the author chooses to reveal info to the reader.
There was so much to like about this one, so why didn't I like it???
This was NOT the sweet beach-side romance I was expecting.
Don't read if you don't want spoilers...
Terri lives at and helps run a summer vacation spot with her dad, but in her own cabin. She's 26 and Nate is 34. Her father and his best friend conspire to put Nate in the same cabin as her for 3 weeks in the hopes that they would fall in love. Of course they do, and quite easily and this was the most romantic part of the book. Except that he doesn't realize it, and she does.
His fiancee, Stacy, the mayor's daughter, returns from Italy about 2/3 in and realizes before Nate does, that his affections have changed. But really, I doubt he ever felt that deeply for Stacy. It was more like he believed he should feel for Stacy... her being perfect and all. *sigh*
In the mean time, there are glimmers of a mystery... why does the town think so poorly of Terri? And really, the prejudices are deeper than just Terri being viewed as a diabolical slut.
But the mystery will get even darker in a kind of surprise twist at the end.
Nate is awesome, except he is engaged to another woman. A woman who is perfect in every way. And he is in love with her??
Terri is awesome, except that the whole town thinks she's a user of men.
The mean town gossip never gets her comeuppance. The reasons for her evil bitchiness aren't revealed til the end. And I found it kind of hard to believe that one person could create such a cloud of hate from the whole frick'n town.
When Terri is finally vindicated at the end, there's no time for the reader to actually see people's reactions (except Stacy, the perfect OW's). There's no epilogue to see her enjoying life without a cloud of stigma tarnishing it.
Even her love for Nate is pushed aside til the very end because of how the town would view them getting together so soon after his dumping of miss perfect, the town's sweetheart.
Nate doesn't break up with the town sweetheart til 3/4 in and I'm not sure who dumped who...
Some of the angst of Nate having an OW is mitigated by the return of the OM (Terri's old beau), whom the town vilifies her for dumping... *sigh* This chick just never gets a break! So now there's an OW and an OM.
BUT I was convinced of the love between Nate and Terri. They are a fantastic couple who truly suit each other. I just wish Nate had pulled his head out of his ass before Stacy returned. He not only hurts Terri by being so blind, but he hurts Stacy too.
But Nate redeems himself by solving the mystery. But I still needed an epilogue dammit!
I just felt like through the whole book, Terri's hands were tied. Tied by his having a fiancee and tied by the lies perpetuated by others against her. It left me with a bad taste in my mouth by the end.
Safety
I'm going to make this brief because I did skim a fair bit.
I guess my problem with it was that when all was said and done, I didn't feel the romance much.
I also didn't know, going into this, that the story was as much about the past as it was about the present.
There's a dark mystery that isn't really addressed til the second half and unfurls as the author chooses to reveal info to the reader.
There was so much to like about this one, so why didn't I like it???
This was NOT the sweet beach-side romance I was expecting.
Don't read if you don't want spoilers...
Terri lives at and helps run a summer vacation spot with her dad, but in her own cabin. She's 26 and Nate is 34. Her father and his best friend conspire to put Nate in the same cabin as her for 3 weeks in the hopes that they would fall in love. Of course they do, and quite easily and this was the most romantic part of the book. Except that he doesn't realize it, and she does.
His fiancee, Stacy, the mayor's daughter, returns from Italy about 2/3 in and realizes before Nate does, that his affections have changed. But really, I doubt he ever felt that deeply for Stacy. It was more like he believed he should feel for Stacy... her being perfect and all. *sigh*
In the mean time, there are glimmers of a mystery... why does the town think so poorly of Terri? And really, the prejudices are deeper than just Terri being viewed as a diabolical slut.
But the mystery will get even darker in a kind of surprise twist at the end.
Nate is awesome, except he is engaged to another woman. A woman who is perfect in every way. And he is in love with her??
Terri is awesome, except that the whole town thinks she's a user of men.
The mean town gossip never gets her comeuppance. The reasons for her evil bitchiness aren't revealed til the end. And I found it kind of hard to believe that one person could create such a cloud of hate from the whole frick'n town.
When Terri is finally vindicated at the end, there's no time for the reader to actually see people's reactions (except Stacy, the perfect OW's). There's no epilogue to see her enjoying life without a cloud of stigma tarnishing it.
Even her love for Nate is pushed aside til the very end because of how the town would view them getting together so soon after his dumping of miss perfect, the town's sweetheart.
Nate doesn't break up with the town sweetheart til 3/4 in and I'm not sure who dumped who...
Some of the angst of Nate having an OW is mitigated by the return of the OM (Terri's old beau), whom the town vilifies her for dumping... *sigh* This chick just never gets a break! So now there's an OW and an OM.
BUT I was convinced of the love between Nate and Terri. They are a fantastic couple who truly suit each other. I just wish Nate had pulled his head out of his ass before Stacy returned. He not only hurts Terri by being so blind, but he hurts Stacy too.
But Nate redeems himself by solving the mystery. But I still needed an epilogue dammit!
I just felt like through the whole book, Terri's hands were tied. Tied by his having a fiancee and tied by the lies perpetuated by others against her. It left me with a bad taste in my mouth by the end.
Safety
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 24, 2019
I can't resist the Taggert and Montgomery families Jude has created. Jude has created a fun formula for a romantic story that doesn't go where you think it will. This would make for a light beach read. It stands alone but you appreciate it more if you know the other Taggerts and Montgomerys.
*My honest review was made possible thanks to an Advanced Reader Copy from the publisher.*
*My honest review was made possible thanks to an Advanced Reader Copy from the publisher.*
September 10, 2019
Terri Rayburn grew up on the outskirts of Summer Hill, VA and spends her days taking care of the summer resort on Lake Kissel. She keeps herself busy so she can stay out of the small town gossip - there're enough false rumors about her childhood already. However, when she returns home to find Nate Taggert, a handsome stranger living in her house, she thought she has met her match. Unfortunately, Nate is engaged to the mayor's daughter and is strictly off-limits.
Nate starts to throw himself into life at the lake and they become fast friends. As Nate starts to hear rumors about Terri, he’s determined to discover the source of the gossip. Terri doesn’t want to revisit her painful past, but Nate will stop at nothing to uncover the truth—even if the truth might be more than either of them can handle.
Jude Deveraux is a household name when it comes to romances. Met Her Match is book two in the Summer Hill series. I haven't read the first one but the storyline is pretty standalone. I thought it was a good read with well developed characters. I loved the banter between Terri and Nate and how perfect they were for each other. I just wished he wasn't engaged. Technically he didn't cheat on his fiancee but the situation he put himself in made me uncomfortable. Can't wait to see what the next book in the series brings!
Thank you to Netgalley and Mira Books for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
Nate starts to throw himself into life at the lake and they become fast friends. As Nate starts to hear rumors about Terri, he’s determined to discover the source of the gossip. Terri doesn’t want to revisit her painful past, but Nate will stop at nothing to uncover the truth—even if the truth might be more than either of them can handle.
Jude Deveraux is a household name when it comes to romances. Met Her Match is book two in the Summer Hill series. I haven't read the first one but the storyline is pretty standalone. I thought it was a good read with well developed characters. I loved the banter between Terri and Nate and how perfect they were for each other. I just wished he wasn't engaged. Technically he didn't cheat on his fiancee but the situation he put himself in made me uncomfortable. Can't wait to see what the next book in the series brings!
Thank you to Netgalley and Mira Books for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review!
March 31, 2021
Wouldn't we all like to find a well wrapped package like Nate when we open the door!? Ummmmm. I digress....
Jude pulls you right on in from the very start of the story...any story actually....but you get the vibe from the opening of the door to the very last word!
And you can feel Terri's pain for all those years living under such a burdensome dark cloud. Damn those nosy, gossiping people.!such wasted time..so much heart ache, so much living time lost! And when you get to the end ---well, Surprise Surprise Surprise! Never had it"presolved " before the end! A great "Gotcha"!
And you will like the Taggert fella..(read some of Jude's earlier works where she introduces the Taggert lineage! You will not be disappointed! Guaranteed!!)
So, hunker down. Get comfy -not a quick read (cause you don't want to miss a word!).. - have a snack or two close by (I have a full complement 😉) get yerself buckled in for an entertaining read..you won't wanna miss a thing!--P/
Jude pulls you right on in from the very start of the story...any story actually....but you get the vibe from the opening of the door to the very last word!
And you can feel Terri's pain for all those years living under such a burdensome dark cloud. Damn those nosy, gossiping people.!such wasted time..so much heart ache, so much living time lost! And when you get to the end ---well, Surprise Surprise Surprise! Never had it"presolved " before the end! A great "Gotcha"!
And you will like the Taggert fella..(read some of Jude's earlier works where she introduces the Taggert lineage! You will not be disappointed! Guaranteed!!)
So, hunker down. Get comfy -not a quick read (cause you don't want to miss a word!).. - have a snack or two close by (I have a full complement 😉) get yerself buckled in for an entertaining read..you won't wanna miss a thing!--P/
September 16, 2019
I had a hard time connecting with this book. The characters relationship developed so swiftly that it was unbelievable. The character development was good and the setting fun but I could not get into this. I finished it but found it to be lackluster. This is a fluffy beach read with very little depth. Unfortunately not for me, but if you are looking for an easy romance set on the lake, then this is for you! Thank you @harlequinbooks for this advance reader in exchange for my honest review.
September 6, 2022
I grabbed this book from Prime reading because I used to read this author all of the time when I was younger...it's been awhile so I decided to see if I still like her. Turns out I do :) As this is the 4th book in a series, I did not read the ones before but it's okay...it did well as a stand alone. I really connected with the characters, I loved the setting, and I loved the storyline...not much else to say :)
September 8, 2019
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, MIRA Books; who provided this ebook in exchange for an honest review. I hadn't read a book by Ms. Deveraux since I was a little girl swiping my mom's and auntie's books from their bookshelves.
In a way, this book gave me so much comfort to read...it was a light summery type of book; a little mystery, a cast of characters that were well-developed and written, humor, a story that has a definite beginning-middle-ending. I enjoyed Terri and Nate's story and wish I had a 'Lake Kisses' of my own, haha! 3.75 stars.
In a way, this book gave me so much comfort to read...it was a light summery type of book; a little mystery, a cast of characters that were well-developed and written, humor, a story that has a definite beginning-middle-ending. I enjoyed Terri and Nate's story and wish I had a 'Lake Kisses' of my own, haha! 3.75 stars.
July 24, 2021
I guess I read 6 or 7 Jude Devereaux books in my 20s and 30s and I remember them to be very well-written engaging historical romances. She fell off my radar screen and thought I would renew my acquaintance with a contemporary story thanks to the glowing reviews. Unfortunately, this one did not match up to my memory of her talent. The writing was stiff and choppy at times and seemed aimed at a YA level. There was a lot of awkwardness in sentence structure and plot developments. The character development wasn't organic but seemed imposed on the characters by the author.
Teri comes home from a short trip to find a guy ensconced in her 2 bedroom cabin "But this guy... She really liked the look of him! The size, the shape, even his skin color were all her favorites."If this sentence doesn't seem a little "off" you probably won't be further distracted by the writing.
In physicality, interests, and food and drink preferences, they are a match. But here's the other bad thing. From the very beginning, she knows he is engaged to be married to a nice girl she grew up with but she continues to flirt with him, and he is more than receptive. They don't do anything inappropriate, but they continue to live in the same house and the cheating is emotional. It's more important to the story to keep them in close proximity than to give either of them a backbone and do the right thing, so that was her priority.
I was mildly interested in hearing more about why she was such a pariah with the townspeople and the high society types and the inevitable triumph of truth and justice. A mystery is introduced at the end, and I did look forward to how the couple was going to deal with his fiance's arrival on the scene.
All in all, it was comparable to a Hallmark romance, which is OK for 2 hours T.V., but not for a whole day of total emersion that reading a book entails.
https://rebekahsreadingsandwatchings....
Teri comes home from a short trip to find a guy ensconced in her 2 bedroom cabin "But this guy... She really liked the look of him! The size, the shape, even his skin color were all her favorites."If this sentence doesn't seem a little "off" you probably won't be further distracted by the writing.
In physicality, interests, and food and drink preferences, they are a match. But here's the other bad thing. From the very beginning, she knows he is engaged to be married to a nice girl she grew up with but she continues to flirt with him, and he is more than receptive. They don't do anything inappropriate, but they continue to live in the same house and the cheating is emotional. It's more important to the story to keep them in close proximity than to give either of them a backbone and do the right thing, so that was her priority.
I was mildly interested in hearing more about why she was such a pariah with the townspeople and the high society types and the inevitable triumph of truth and justice. A mystery is introduced at the end, and I did look forward to how the couple was going to deal with his fiance's arrival on the scene.
All in all, it was comparable to a Hallmark romance, which is OK for 2 hours T.V., but not for a whole day of total emersion that reading a book entails.
https://rebekahsreadingsandwatchings....
August 29, 2019
Met Her Match (Summer Hill #2) is full of small-town gossip, devilishly crafted characters, lots of secrets, and romance. There is mystery, and twists that round this book out and keeps the reader wondering what is going on in the seeming near-perfect fictional town of Summer Hill. I say near-perfect because there is lots of angst and tension between the three groups of people in the town, the wealthy townspeople, the summer lake people and the working-class people who run the resort of Kissel Lake.
Met Her Match is my first book by Jude Deveraux, and I am looking forward to reading more from this author. I did not have the pleasure to read the first book in this series, but I do plan to go back and fix that little misstep. I don't feel that you have to read the first book as the author did an excellent job in explaining the history of Summer Hill.
Jude Deveraux's writing style is spot-on; she made me feel as if I was part of this small town, and I could be best friends with the main character, Terri Rayburn. Terri has had to deal with the cruel gossip about her missing mother her whole life. This gossip has in turn been put upon her. In spite of this, Terri has become a strong, self-reliant woman who held fast to her beliefs and morals.
Terri returns from a short business trip to find the very handsome Nate Taggert living in her home. Together they figure out that Nate's uncle Kit was the one that arranged for Nate to live in Terri's house. Nate is the total package. He is a good looking, strong, intelligent man, with principles. After some very heated back and forth banter between the two Terri decides to let Nate stay in her house. There is an immediate attraction, but Nate being the great guy that he is tells Terri he is engaged. His fiancé happens to have gone to high school with Terri. But she is just not just any girl; she is the perfect, sweet, beautiful Stacy Hartman, who happens to be in Italy for two weeks. Over two weeks, Terri and Nate fall into an easy friendship that is full of sexual tension. Ahh, but don't be fooled, this book is so much more than a simple taboo romance. There are decades-old secrets, and twists and turns I didn't see coming. The supporting cast of "characters" were excellent, and I want to know more about them. The balance of tone is perfect in the book. At times the book had me smiling and laughing, and other times there was some intense darkness that had me wanting to give Terri a big mom hug.
I look forward to catching up with the first book in this series, The Girl from Summer Hill, and looking forward to reading future books in the series.
*** I kindly received this galley by way of NetGalley/publisher/author. I was not contacted, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion. ***
Met Her Match is my first book by Jude Deveraux, and I am looking forward to reading more from this author. I did not have the pleasure to read the first book in this series, but I do plan to go back and fix that little misstep. I don't feel that you have to read the first book as the author did an excellent job in explaining the history of Summer Hill.
Jude Deveraux's writing style is spot-on; she made me feel as if I was part of this small town, and I could be best friends with the main character, Terri Rayburn. Terri has had to deal with the cruel gossip about her missing mother her whole life. This gossip has in turn been put upon her. In spite of this, Terri has become a strong, self-reliant woman who held fast to her beliefs and morals.
Terri returns from a short business trip to find the very handsome Nate Taggert living in her home. Together they figure out that Nate's uncle Kit was the one that arranged for Nate to live in Terri's house. Nate is the total package. He is a good looking, strong, intelligent man, with principles. After some very heated back and forth banter between the two Terri decides to let Nate stay in her house. There is an immediate attraction, but Nate being the great guy that he is tells Terri he is engaged. His fiancé happens to have gone to high school with Terri. But she is just not just any girl; she is the perfect, sweet, beautiful Stacy Hartman, who happens to be in Italy for two weeks. Over two weeks, Terri and Nate fall into an easy friendship that is full of sexual tension. Ahh, but don't be fooled, this book is so much more than a simple taboo romance. There are decades-old secrets, and twists and turns I didn't see coming. The supporting cast of "characters" were excellent, and I want to know more about them. The balance of tone is perfect in the book. At times the book had me smiling and laughing, and other times there was some intense darkness that had me wanting to give Terri a big mom hug.
I look forward to catching up with the first book in this series, The Girl from Summer Hill, and looking forward to reading future books in the series.
*** I kindly received this galley by way of NetGalley/publisher/author. I was not contacted, asked, or required to leave a review. I received no compensation, financial or otherwise. I have voluntarily read this book, and this review is my honest opinion. ***
September 19, 2019
A sweet story of two characters drawn to each other as if pulled by an invisible thread. Terri was delightful, I loved reading about her. She had a tough life growing up which made her strong. Her day involved working at the resort and helping the guests. Entered Nate into her life and the resort to get married and start a new life. The two became friends abd roommates. The fiancée brought a new unexpected complication.
My first book by Jude Devereaux, this was a fast read. This was a cute small town romance which its kooky residents. There was a charm in them and their secrets. Few things were oft repeated, and the relationship could have been deeper. But that didn't bother me as I wanted something to distract my mind. I read the book in between my thrillers as I didn't want to analyze much, just enjoy the story.
Overall, this was a fun read.
My first book by Jude Devereaux, this was a fast read. This was a cute small town romance which its kooky residents. There was a charm in them and their secrets. Few things were oft repeated, and the relationship could have been deeper. But that didn't bother me as I wanted something to distract my mind. I read the book in between my thrillers as I didn't want to analyze much, just enjoy the story.
Overall, this was a fun read.
August 20, 2019
I have been reading quite a few rather emotionally heavy books recently so it was nice to sit down for a few hours and focus on something a little lighter that would give me a happy ever after ending.
This book is the second in a series about the fictional town of Summer Hill Virginia. I have not read the first book in the series, but the author did include some background information to help lay the groundwork for the story to follow. I suspect it would have been easier if I had read the first book but overall it didn’t make a huge difference.
There is an old adage that the sins of the father are visited upon the son. In this book it appears that the supposed “sins” of the mother have been visited upon her daughter, Terri Rayburn, for many, many years. Terri has learned to live with it feeling completely comfortable in her role of handyperson and general rescuer in the Lake community which her father helped to found. Visits to Summer Hill though leave her with a completely different set of feelings and insecurities.
When Terri returns home from her time away on vacation, she discovers a strange (but very attractive) male has moved into her abode. Her initial instinct is to send him running, but there is something about him that appeals to her and she thinks she may have met a man she could develop a relationship with. She even believes that her relatives may have placed him there in an effort to matchmake. Imagine her shock when she finds out that he is engaged to be married to one of the girls that she went to high school with. She leaves in anger but when he sets out to change her mind by using the skills that he has developed working overseas for the government to lighten her workload, a friendship and working team develop very quickly.
People around are thrilled to see Terri so happy and assume that the couple may be acting on the feelings that seem so obvious to others. In actual fact, they are both doing their best to keep things platonic but as time goes by, Nate discovers that the life his fiancé has planned out for him is not something he thinks he can live with.
Mixed in with the romance of the story is a mystery – whatever became of Terri’s mother Leslie and what happened when Leslie was a teenager that got her suspended from school? Why did she break things off with her high school boyfriend and why did the town condemn her for doing so? Some of the answers were fairly predictable and I drew some accurate conclusions well before the mystery was resolved, there were however, still some surprises in store for me.
Met Her Match draws a clear picture of how within a community there are ”the haves”, and the “have nots” and the tensions that run between them. The story ended fairly abruptly but left itself open for more to come with other characters introduced. I personally found both Terri and Nate very likeable characters and would be willing to read other books in this series.
I was approached by the publicist to read this book based on my interest in their previous women’s fiction and romance titles. Many thanks to Mira Books and #NetGalley. What is above is my unbiased review.
This book is the second in a series about the fictional town of Summer Hill Virginia. I have not read the first book in the series, but the author did include some background information to help lay the groundwork for the story to follow. I suspect it would have been easier if I had read the first book but overall it didn’t make a huge difference.
There is an old adage that the sins of the father are visited upon the son. In this book it appears that the supposed “sins” of the mother have been visited upon her daughter, Terri Rayburn, for many, many years. Terri has learned to live with it feeling completely comfortable in her role of handyperson and general rescuer in the Lake community which her father helped to found. Visits to Summer Hill though leave her with a completely different set of feelings and insecurities.
When Terri returns home from her time away on vacation, she discovers a strange (but very attractive) male has moved into her abode. Her initial instinct is to send him running, but there is something about him that appeals to her and she thinks she may have met a man she could develop a relationship with. She even believes that her relatives may have placed him there in an effort to matchmake. Imagine her shock when she finds out that he is engaged to be married to one of the girls that she went to high school with. She leaves in anger but when he sets out to change her mind by using the skills that he has developed working overseas for the government to lighten her workload, a friendship and working team develop very quickly.
People around are thrilled to see Terri so happy and assume that the couple may be acting on the feelings that seem so obvious to others. In actual fact, they are both doing their best to keep things platonic but as time goes by, Nate discovers that the life his fiancé has planned out for him is not something he thinks he can live with.
Mixed in with the romance of the story is a mystery – whatever became of Terri’s mother Leslie and what happened when Leslie was a teenager that got her suspended from school? Why did she break things off with her high school boyfriend and why did the town condemn her for doing so? Some of the answers were fairly predictable and I drew some accurate conclusions well before the mystery was resolved, there were however, still some surprises in store for me.
Met Her Match draws a clear picture of how within a community there are ”the haves”, and the “have nots” and the tensions that run between them. The story ended fairly abruptly but left itself open for more to come with other characters introduced. I personally found both Terri and Nate very likeable characters and would be willing to read other books in this series.
I was approached by the publicist to read this book based on my interest in their previous women’s fiction and romance titles. Many thanks to Mira Books and #NetGalley. What is above is my unbiased review.
July 8, 2024
This book took me by surprise. The ending was absolutely amazing and I couldn’t be more impressed with how everything came full circle.
January 24, 2020
Unlikeable hero, heroine, premise, stupid story line, stupid protagonists, slow, silly and unlikeable as a whole.
October 18, 2019
Another wonderful read from Jude Deveraux. These books are like little vacations. Fun and good for the heart.
The main characters were great and had good chemistry and the setup was interesting. She made the community around the lake come alive. The town and lake couldn't have been that far apart but they seemed like completely different worlds.
Hope she continues this series. Books like this are great to read in between dark psychological thrillers.
The main characters were great and had good chemistry and the setup was interesting. She made the community around the lake come alive. The town and lake couldn't have been that far apart but they seemed like completely different worlds.
Hope she continues this series. Books like this are great to read in between dark psychological thrillers.
September 18, 2019
Another great addition to her Taggert series! This was a fast story, it began with a little romance and ended with a mystery. I thought it was well written and kept my interest to the thrilling end! I enjoyed the story! Thanks to Netgalley for the early copy
October 10, 2019
Wish I could leave 0.5 stars only ...
After I finished reading this one, I had to ask myself a few questions ...
Once the h knew the H was engaged, did she really have the right to get close to him? She sees him and is instantly attracted to him ... she finds out he is engaged maybe 30 minutes after meeting him ... and she still deliberately courts a friendship with him ... and gets close to him ...
She is very defensive when his fiancee is mentioned ... but regardless of the issues H had with his fiancee, why did the h need to act so needy and desperate?
The H is no prize; he comes across as someone who doesn't know his own mind ...
The whole premise seemed to leave a bad taste in my mouth ...
After I finished reading this one, I had to ask myself a few questions ...
Once the h knew the H was engaged, did she really have the right to get close to him? She sees him and is instantly attracted to him ... she finds out he is engaged maybe 30 minutes after meeting him ... and she still deliberately courts a friendship with him ... and gets close to him ...
She is very defensive when his fiancee is mentioned ... but regardless of the issues H had with his fiancee, why did the h need to act so needy and desperate?
The H is no prize; he comes across as someone who doesn't know his own mind ...
The whole premise seemed to leave a bad taste in my mouth ...
September 10, 2019
Met Her Match is an easy charming read. Terri, like so many, has been the victim of unwarranted small town gossip. She chose to ignore the ridiculous nature of this, and live her life as she pleases running a resort. Through circumstances, she returns home from a brief trip to find a guy, Nate, in her house. The two come to an agreement about living arrangements and soon, become friends. Or maybe something more? It's a good story with a bit of mystery, romance and intrigue, plus likeable characters who are dynamic together and warm hearted. Overall, I enjoyed this story for something light and easy. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
January 26, 2022
This book was horrible, actually horrible. What I thought was going to be a slow burn of a love story was a book with no development put on fast forward. The characters were incredibly immature for being adults (at one point they actually run off a dock away from an elderly woman) and not developed enough for me. I know Jude Deveraux has a huge audience that love her books, but I am sadly not one of them.
September 25, 2019
Not a fan of this writing style at all. I like characters' traits to unfold, but this author chooses to have other characters state them... Repeatedly. It felt disjointed, and it lacked flow. Also, the problems were forced by one sided, stereotypical, parody worthy characters. Not a fan. Avoid this rambling book if you can.
September 17, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Met Her Match and was totally captivated by this amazingly, wonderful romance story! I am a huge fan of Jude Deveraux’s brilliantly written and enchanting historical romances. Having read most if not all of her historical romances, I was thrilled to read her newest contemporary novel. This book was everything I was hoping for! The story and plot pulled me in from the very start. The charming and entertaining romance completely held my attention and the mystery and intrigue made it difficult to put down. I absolutely loved this story and I highly recommend it.
Met Her Match is the second book in Jude Deveraux’s Summer Hill trilogy. Although I did not have the pleasure of reading the first book, I definitely feel that the author provides enough background information so that this story can easily be read as a standalone. This book is a contemporary romance with some mystery. It is written in the point of view of various characters and it takes place in the small town of Summer Hill, Virginia. It clearly depicts the struggles between the wealthy townspeople, the summer lake tourists and the working class who are often caught in the middle while trying to keep everything running. This story also deals with typical small town issues like popularity, rumors, quick to judge gossipers, and a whole lot of unsavory secrets.
Terri Rayburn has lived her whole life on the outskirts of Summer Hill, Virginia. She runs a summer resort for her father on Lake Kissel and is responsible for taking care of everything, including rescuing tourists when they fall in the lake. She’s strong, hard working, has a heart of gold and is fiercely loyal to her father. She is completely comfortable with herself and her life at the lake. Unfortunately, Terri has a bad reputation that began the year her mother suddenly left town. Although she doesn’t deserve to live under the shadows of her mother’s supposed betrayal, she prefers to stay away from the town to avoid the conflict and rumors. Knowing how small towns are when it comes to gossip, Terri is determined to just ignore it.
After spending the past 12 years traveling in the Middle East and working as a diplomat with his Uncle Kit for the CIA, Nate Taggert wishes to settle down. He decides to relocate to his fiancée’s hometown of Summer Hill, Virginia and is planning on opening his own business. When his fiancée unexpectedly decides to go to Italy for three weeks, he’s left with little to do. Totally aware that his future in-laws wholeheartedly dislike him, he allows his Uncle Kit to make arrangements for him to spend the next few weeks relaxing in a private home on Lake Kissel. However, Nate is totally unaware that his life is about to be turned upside down by the beautiful, “all American girl” responsible for running the resort.
Met Her Match begins with Terri Rayburn coming home from a short trip to discover a very attractive man living in her house. Her first inclination is to kick him out but she finds herself immediately drawn to him. Although she suspects that this might be a set up arranged by her father, she realizes that Nate Taggert is definitely her type- handsome, built and manly. From the very beginning, everything about Nate appeals to her. Unfortunately, she soon discovers that he’s also engaged to the mayor's daughter. Completely aware that she does not need another reason for the town’s people to judge her and afraid that her reputation will permanently be ruined, Terri is determined to keep her distance.
Hoping to get rid of her unwanted house guest, Terri goes to her father and unapologetically insults Nate’s character. After overhearing Terri’s insults Nate sets out to prove her wrong by taking care of the many chores and repairs at the resort. After proving he’s fully capable of running Lake Kissel the two of them make a deal that allows Nate to stay with her at the house for the next three weeks. Forming a comfortable relationship of working together, the two of them attack the many responsibilities of running a resort. Nate’s kind, outgoing personality attracts the attention of many of the vacationers and soon everyone at the lake, including Terri and her father, adores him. As Terri spends more time with Nate and the two of them becoming close, comfortable friends will she be able to keep her distance and protect both her reputation and her heart?
As Nate spends more time at the lake, he begins to hear rumors about Terri that just don’t fit with the smart, strong, beautiful woman he’s come to know. He’s determined to discover the source of the rumors and hopefully clear Terri’s name. As he digs into the rumors and uncovers many dark secrets, the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Terri’s mother becomes dangerous. Will Nate get to the bottom of the rumors and find out what happened toTerri’s mother? As he considers the plans his fiancée is making for them, could he really be happy living in town? Will he be able to leave Terri and the resort behind when the three weeks are up?
I completely enjoyed reading Met Her Match! Jude Deveraux is an amazingly talented author who is well known for her epic romances. She always delivers a wonderful story with a realist plot, well developed main characters and extremely entertaining supportive characters. What I truly love about her descriptive writing style is that her stories completely capture your attention in such a way that you feel pulled into the story as if you’re a participant in the story. As a reader you feel a deep connection to her characters which ultimately makes letting them go at the end of the story very difficult. I enjoyed the mystery which was somewhat predictable but still had some unexpected surprises. Lastly, I truly enjoyed the many humorous aspects of this story. Everyone saying, “Nate did it” and of course the Bikini picnic with the twins were both totally hilarious! I highly recommend this story to readers who love a great small town romances with a strong plot, real to life characters, some mystery and intrigue and of course a happily ever after ending! I will definitely be reading the first book in this series and I look forward to reading the third book when it is released! I know that this is one of those stories that I will read again!
I would like to thank MIRA books and Goodreads for providing me with this free advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest, unbiased review! I truly appreciate the opportunity to read and experience this wonderful romance by Jude Deveraux!
Met Her Match is the second book in Jude Deveraux’s Summer Hill trilogy. Although I did not have the pleasure of reading the first book, I definitely feel that the author provides enough background information so that this story can easily be read as a standalone. This book is a contemporary romance with some mystery. It is written in the point of view of various characters and it takes place in the small town of Summer Hill, Virginia. It clearly depicts the struggles between the wealthy townspeople, the summer lake tourists and the working class who are often caught in the middle while trying to keep everything running. This story also deals with typical small town issues like popularity, rumors, quick to judge gossipers, and a whole lot of unsavory secrets.
Terri Rayburn has lived her whole life on the outskirts of Summer Hill, Virginia. She runs a summer resort for her father on Lake Kissel and is responsible for taking care of everything, including rescuing tourists when they fall in the lake. She’s strong, hard working, has a heart of gold and is fiercely loyal to her father. She is completely comfortable with herself and her life at the lake. Unfortunately, Terri has a bad reputation that began the year her mother suddenly left town. Although she doesn’t deserve to live under the shadows of her mother’s supposed betrayal, she prefers to stay away from the town to avoid the conflict and rumors. Knowing how small towns are when it comes to gossip, Terri is determined to just ignore it.
After spending the past 12 years traveling in the Middle East and working as a diplomat with his Uncle Kit for the CIA, Nate Taggert wishes to settle down. He decides to relocate to his fiancée’s hometown of Summer Hill, Virginia and is planning on opening his own business. When his fiancée unexpectedly decides to go to Italy for three weeks, he’s left with little to do. Totally aware that his future in-laws wholeheartedly dislike him, he allows his Uncle Kit to make arrangements for him to spend the next few weeks relaxing in a private home on Lake Kissel. However, Nate is totally unaware that his life is about to be turned upside down by the beautiful, “all American girl” responsible for running the resort.
Met Her Match begins with Terri Rayburn coming home from a short trip to discover a very attractive man living in her house. Her first inclination is to kick him out but she finds herself immediately drawn to him. Although she suspects that this might be a set up arranged by her father, she realizes that Nate Taggert is definitely her type- handsome, built and manly. From the very beginning, everything about Nate appeals to her. Unfortunately, she soon discovers that he’s also engaged to the mayor's daughter. Completely aware that she does not need another reason for the town’s people to judge her and afraid that her reputation will permanently be ruined, Terri is determined to keep her distance.
Hoping to get rid of her unwanted house guest, Terri goes to her father and unapologetically insults Nate’s character. After overhearing Terri’s insults Nate sets out to prove her wrong by taking care of the many chores and repairs at the resort. After proving he’s fully capable of running Lake Kissel the two of them make a deal that allows Nate to stay with her at the house for the next three weeks. Forming a comfortable relationship of working together, the two of them attack the many responsibilities of running a resort. Nate’s kind, outgoing personality attracts the attention of many of the vacationers and soon everyone at the lake, including Terri and her father, adores him. As Terri spends more time with Nate and the two of them becoming close, comfortable friends will she be able to keep her distance and protect both her reputation and her heart?
As Nate spends more time at the lake, he begins to hear rumors about Terri that just don’t fit with the smart, strong, beautiful woman he’s come to know. He’s determined to discover the source of the rumors and hopefully clear Terri’s name. As he digs into the rumors and uncovers many dark secrets, the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Terri’s mother becomes dangerous. Will Nate get to the bottom of the rumors and find out what happened toTerri’s mother? As he considers the plans his fiancée is making for them, could he really be happy living in town? Will he be able to leave Terri and the resort behind when the three weeks are up?
I completely enjoyed reading Met Her Match! Jude Deveraux is an amazingly talented author who is well known for her epic romances. She always delivers a wonderful story with a realist plot, well developed main characters and extremely entertaining supportive characters. What I truly love about her descriptive writing style is that her stories completely capture your attention in such a way that you feel pulled into the story as if you’re a participant in the story. As a reader you feel a deep connection to her characters which ultimately makes letting them go at the end of the story very difficult. I enjoyed the mystery which was somewhat predictable but still had some unexpected surprises. Lastly, I truly enjoyed the many humorous aspects of this story. Everyone saying, “Nate did it” and of course the Bikini picnic with the twins were both totally hilarious! I highly recommend this story to readers who love a great small town romances with a strong plot, real to life characters, some mystery and intrigue and of course a happily ever after ending! I will definitely be reading the first book in this series and I look forward to reading the third book when it is released! I know that this is one of those stories that I will read again!
I would like to thank MIRA books and Goodreads for providing me with this free advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest, unbiased review! I truly appreciate the opportunity to read and experience this wonderful romance by Jude Deveraux!
September 17, 2019
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Met Her Match and was totally captivated by this amazingly, wonderful romance story! I am a huge fan of Jude Deveraux’s brilliantly written and enchanting historical romances. Having read most if not all of her historical romances, I was thrilled to read her newest contemporary novel. This book was everything I was hoping for! The story and plot pulled me in from the very start. The charming and entertaining romance completely held my attention and the mystery and intrigue made it difficult to put down. I absolutely loved this story and I highly recommend it.
Met Her Match is the second book in Jude Deveraux’s Summer Hill trilogy. Although I did not have the pleasure of reading the first book, I definitely feel that the author provides enough background information so that this story can easily be read as a standalone. This book is a contemporary romance with some mystery. It is written in the point of view of various characters and it takes place in the small town of Summer Hill, Virginia. It clearly depicts the struggles between the wealthy townspeople, the summer lake tourists and the working class who are often caught in the middle while trying to keep everything running. This story also deals with typical small town issues like popularity, rumors, quick to judge gossipers, and a whole lot of unsavory secrets.
Terri Rayburn has lived her whole life on the outskirts of Summer Hill, Virginia. She runs a summer resort for her father on Lake Kissel and is responsible for taking care of everything, including rescuing tourists when they fall in the lake. She’s strong, hard working, has a heart of gold and is fiercely loyal to her father. She is completely comfortable with herself and her life at the lake. Unfortunately, Terri has a bad reputation that began the year her mother suddenly left town. Although she doesn’t deserve to live under the shadows of her mother’s supposed betrayal, she prefers to stay away from the town to avoid the conflict and rumors. Knowing how small towns are when it comes to gossip, Terri is determined to just ignore it.
After spending the past 12 years traveling in the Middle East and working as a diplomat with his Uncle Kit for the CIA, Nate Taggert wishes to settle down. He decides to relocate to his fiancée’s hometown of Summer Hill, Virginia and is planning on opening his own business. When his fiancée unexpectedly decides to go to Italy for three weeks, he’s left with little to do. Totally aware that his future in-laws wholeheartedly dislike him, he allows his Uncle Kit to make arrangements for him to spend the next few weeks relaxing in a private home on Lake Kissel. However, Nate is totally unaware that his life is about to be turned upside down by the beautiful, “all American girl” responsible for running the resort.
Met Her Match begins with Terri Rayburn coming home from a short trip to discover a very attractive man living in her house. Her first inclination is to kick him out but she finds herself immediately drawn to him. Although she suspects that this might be a set up arranged by her father, she realizes that Nate Taggert is definitely her type- handsome, built and manly. From the very beginning, everything about Nate appeals to her. Unfortunately, she soon discovers that he’s also engaged to the mayor's daughter. Completely aware that she does not need another reason for the town’s people to judge her and afraid that her reputation will permanently be ruined, Terri is determined to keep her distance.
Hoping to get rid of her unwanted house guest, Terri goes to her father and unapologetically insults Nate’s character. After overhearing Terri’s insults Nate sets out to prove her wrong by taking care of the many chores and repairs at the resort. After proving he’s fully capable of running Lake Kissel the two of them make a deal that allows Nate to stay with her at the house for the next three weeks. Forming a comfortable relationship of working together, the two of them attack the many responsibilities of running a resort. Nate’s kind, outgoing personality attracts the attention of many of the vacationers and soon everyone at the lake, including Terri and her father, adores him. As Terri spends more time with Nate and the two of them becoming close, comfortable friends will she be able to keep her distance and protect both her reputation and her heart?
As Nate spends more time at the lake, he begins to hear rumors about Terri that just don’t fit with the smart, strong, beautiful woman he’s come to know. He’s determined to discover the source of the rumors and hopefully clear Terri’s name. As he digs into the rumors and uncovers many dark secrets, the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Terri’s mother becomes dangerous. Will Nate get to the bottom of the rumors and find out what happened toTerri’s mother? As he considers the plans his fiancée is making for them, could he really be happy living in town? Will he be able to leave Terri and the resort behind when the three weeks are up?
I completely enjoyed reading Met Her Match! Jude Deveraux is an amazingly talented author who is well known for her epic romances. She always delivers a wonderful story with a realist plot, well developed main characters and extremely entertaining supportive characters. What I truly love about her descriptive writing style is that her stories completely capture your attention in such a way that you feel pulled into the story as if you’re a participant in the story. As a reader you feel a deep connection to her characters which ultimately makes letting them go at the end of the story very difficult. I enjoyed the mystery which was somewhat predictable but still had some unexpected surprises. Lastly, I truly enjoyed the many humorous aspects of this story. Everyone saying, “Nate did it” and of course the Bikini picnic with the twins were both totally hilarious! I highly recommend this story to readers who love a great small town romances with a strong plot, real to life characters, some mystery and intrigue and of course a happily ever after ending! I will definitely be reading the first book in this series and I look forward to reading the third book when it is released! I know that this is one of those stories that I will read again!
I would like to thank MIRA books and Goodreads for providing me with this free advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest, unbiased review! I truly appreciate the opportunity to read and experience this wonderful romance by Jude Deveraux!
Met Her Match is the second book in Jude Deveraux’s Summer Hill trilogy. Although I did not have the pleasure of reading the first book, I definitely feel that the author provides enough background information so that this story can easily be read as a standalone. This book is a contemporary romance with some mystery. It is written in the point of view of various characters and it takes place in the small town of Summer Hill, Virginia. It clearly depicts the struggles between the wealthy townspeople, the summer lake tourists and the working class who are often caught in the middle while trying to keep everything running. This story also deals with typical small town issues like popularity, rumors, quick to judge gossipers, and a whole lot of unsavory secrets.
Terri Rayburn has lived her whole life on the outskirts of Summer Hill, Virginia. She runs a summer resort for her father on Lake Kissel and is responsible for taking care of everything, including rescuing tourists when they fall in the lake. She’s strong, hard working, has a heart of gold and is fiercely loyal to her father. She is completely comfortable with herself and her life at the lake. Unfortunately, Terri has a bad reputation that began the year her mother suddenly left town. Although she doesn’t deserve to live under the shadows of her mother’s supposed betrayal, she prefers to stay away from the town to avoid the conflict and rumors. Knowing how small towns are when it comes to gossip, Terri is determined to just ignore it.
After spending the past 12 years traveling in the Middle East and working as a diplomat with his Uncle Kit for the CIA, Nate Taggert wishes to settle down. He decides to relocate to his fiancée’s hometown of Summer Hill, Virginia and is planning on opening his own business. When his fiancée unexpectedly decides to go to Italy for three weeks, he’s left with little to do. Totally aware that his future in-laws wholeheartedly dislike him, he allows his Uncle Kit to make arrangements for him to spend the next few weeks relaxing in a private home on Lake Kissel. However, Nate is totally unaware that his life is about to be turned upside down by the beautiful, “all American girl” responsible for running the resort.
Met Her Match begins with Terri Rayburn coming home from a short trip to discover a very attractive man living in her house. Her first inclination is to kick him out but she finds herself immediately drawn to him. Although she suspects that this might be a set up arranged by her father, she realizes that Nate Taggert is definitely her type- handsome, built and manly. From the very beginning, everything about Nate appeals to her. Unfortunately, she soon discovers that he’s also engaged to the mayor's daughter. Completely aware that she does not need another reason for the town’s people to judge her and afraid that her reputation will permanently be ruined, Terri is determined to keep her distance.
Hoping to get rid of her unwanted house guest, Terri goes to her father and unapologetically insults Nate’s character. After overhearing Terri’s insults Nate sets out to prove her wrong by taking care of the many chores and repairs at the resort. After proving he’s fully capable of running Lake Kissel the two of them make a deal that allows Nate to stay with her at the house for the next three weeks. Forming a comfortable relationship of working together, the two of them attack the many responsibilities of running a resort. Nate’s kind, outgoing personality attracts the attention of many of the vacationers and soon everyone at the lake, including Terri and her father, adores him. As Terri spends more time with Nate and the two of them becoming close, comfortable friends will she be able to keep her distance and protect both her reputation and her heart?
As Nate spends more time at the lake, he begins to hear rumors about Terri that just don’t fit with the smart, strong, beautiful woman he’s come to know. He’s determined to discover the source of the rumors and hopefully clear Terri’s name. As he digs into the rumors and uncovers many dark secrets, the mystery surrounding the disappearance of Terri’s mother becomes dangerous. Will Nate get to the bottom of the rumors and find out what happened toTerri’s mother? As he considers the plans his fiancée is making for them, could he really be happy living in town? Will he be able to leave Terri and the resort behind when the three weeks are up?
I completely enjoyed reading Met Her Match! Jude Deveraux is an amazingly talented author who is well known for her epic romances. She always delivers a wonderful story with a realist plot, well developed main characters and extremely entertaining supportive characters. What I truly love about her descriptive writing style is that her stories completely capture your attention in such a way that you feel pulled into the story as if you’re a participant in the story. As a reader you feel a deep connection to her characters which ultimately makes letting them go at the end of the story very difficult. I enjoyed the mystery which was somewhat predictable but still had some unexpected surprises. Lastly, I truly enjoyed the many humorous aspects of this story. Everyone saying, “Nate did it” and of course the Bikini picnic with the twins were both totally hilarious! I highly recommend this story to readers who love a great small town romances with a strong plot, real to life characters, some mystery and intrigue and of course a happily ever after ending! I will definitely be reading the first book in this series and I look forward to reading the third book when it is released! I know that this is one of those stories that I will read again!
I would like to thank MIRA books and Goodreads for providing me with this free advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest, unbiased review! I truly appreciate the opportunity to read and experience this wonderful romance by Jude Deveraux!
October 3, 2019
Met Her Match by Jude Deveraux is the 2nd book in the Summer Hill series, and my first book by this author. I loved this romance, I really connected with the two main characters, Terri and Nate. Nate is engaged to the Mayor daughter, so he's not available. The town of Summer Hill, Virginia is divided into
two parts, rich residents and the rest of the town. Once I started this book I could not stop reading it. I will definitely be reading more books by Ms. Deveraux. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a wonderful romance.
I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you.
two parts, rich residents and the rest of the town. Once I started this book I could not stop reading it. I will definitely be reading more books by Ms. Deveraux. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a wonderful romance.
I reviewed a digital arc provided by NetGalley and the publisher. Thank you.
September 23, 2019
Okay. I admit it. I'm a sucker for Jude Deveraux' Taggert/Montgomery books. Yep! I love them. However, this one was exceptional. Geez, I miss these! Great well developed main and secondary characters, wonderful slow evolving romance AND a terrific murder/mystery added into the mix. Nope. I never saw that one coming. Just an overall fantastic read that I devoured in one day. Loved it!
September 18, 2019
This is a good read. I haven't read her in a long time. I really liked it and I liked the character and could relate to what she was going through. Nice heart felt read.
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